Glyphosate lawsuit heightens food safety fears, experts call for agrochemical regulatory reform

2026-03-06 - 20:18

Confidence in Africa’s agro-chemical regulatory apparatus has eroded following the recent $7.25 billion proposed settlement by German agrochemical giant Bayer over cancer-related claims linked to its herbicide Roundup (Glyphosate). As Geofrey Serugo writes, although authorities in several industrialized countries had approved Roundup for commercial use, a wave of litigation argued that consumers and farm workers were never sufficiently alerted to its possible cancer risks. As the Supreme court of the United States weighs arguments about whether federal regulatory approval shields manufacturers from liability, the controversy underscores that official clearance is not the same as unquestionable safety. For Uganda, that distinction carries profound consequences. In a system where chemical surveillance is thin, poison exposure data is patchy, and legal recourse can be slow or inaccessible, the debate is not merely academic, it is deeply practical. Agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy, powered largely by millions of smallholder farmers who sustain national food supplies and rural incomes. Yet the country’s reliance on imported agrochemicals continues to grow. Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency indicate that 51% of the 41 of agrochemicals registered for use in Uganda fall under the category of Highly Hazardous Molecules many of which are prohibited in the European Union because of their high toxicity levels. Uganda’s Agricultural Chemicals (Control) Act provides a legal framework for oversight. However, persistent enforcement weaknesses, limited laboratory capacity, and fragmented inspection regimes have left regulatory safeguards uneven— allowing potentially dangerous substances to remain on the market with minimal scrutiny. Bwambale Benard, the Program Head-Global Consumer Centre (CONSENT) situates the matter within Uganda’s continental obligations and long-term health trajectory. Drawing attention to the country’s commitments under African environmental law, he stresses that regulatory complacency carries generational consequences, urging government to ban the importation of these molecules. “Government being a signatory to the Bamako Convention, an African law on pesticides must look at the highly hazardous molecules in the country, and they must be banned. Molecules that have been banned elsewhere must also be banned in Africa. Farmers need to be sensitized on what pesticides can cause harm to them,” he warned. Scientific literature associates several widely used agrochemicals with carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, acute poisoning, and environmental persistence. Unlike wealthier jurisdictions, Uganda lacks comprehensive toxicovigilance systems, residue monitoring infrastructure, and integrated cancer registries capable of linking chemical exposure patterns to long-term disease outcomes. If adverse effects accumulate gradually over years, they may never be systematically traced, nor litigated. Dr David Kabanda, the executive director at Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT), argues that structural weaknesses within Uganda’s regulatory regime have inadvertently created fertile ground for hazardous chemical proliferation, and called for the enactment of a new law to ban the importation of Glyphosate Based Agrochemicals. “Poor monitoring and enforcement of agrochemical regulations, and gaps in the laws and policies, have worked in favour of increasing sales of hazardous agrochemicals. We need a new law to eliminate glyphosate. Farmers must be mobilized, whether as groups or individuals, to hold Bayer accountable for product liability,” he asserted. Katende Stephen Serunjogi, Principal Technician at Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), observes that misuse often stems from limited technical knowledge. “Most small-scale farmers lack knowledge on proper fertilizer and pesticide application, which puts their lives at risk,” he explained. He noted that improper mixing, lack of protective gear, and misinterpretation of chemical labels amplify exposure risks, particularly in informal markets where advisory services are thin. Hakim Baliraine, the national chairperson Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF Uganda) who is also a small-scale farmer, stressed that the risks linked to glyphosate will continue unless the problem is addressed at its source. He pointed out that Uganda—like many African nations—participates in the European Union–African Union Partnership, yet a significant share of banned and highly hazardous agrochemicals used in Africa originate from Europe. He therefore called for action within the EU–AU parliamentary structures to introduce and pass a motion prohibiting the export and import of such chemicals into African countries. Nutrition security cannot be reduced to yield volumes alone. Soil microbial integrity, biodiversity, and ecological balance determine micronutrient density and long-term productivity. Heavy chemical reliance risks degrading soil systems that sustain future harvests. At the same time, limited residue testing means consumers may unknowingly ingest chemical traces beyond recommended thresholds. Export markets, meanwhile, continue tightening standards, potentially threatening Uganda’s competitiveness if regulatory credibility weakens. Uganda derives substantial foreign exchange from its organic produce exports. However, gaps in chemical regulation threaten this advantage, as tighter international residue standards could trigger shipment rejections and erode access to high-value markets. Expanding the use of agroecological crop protection methods and promoting locally manufactured organic inputs would help safeguard export earnings, cut reliance on imported agrochemicals, and reinforce the Build Uganda Buy Uganda strategy. A clear and sustained shift in policy direction is therefore essential. The government should fully apply the precautionary principle in decisions related to pesticide approval and importation, gradually withdraw chemicals classified globally as Highly Hazardous, and strengthen independent risk assessment systems. In addition, enhancing residue testing capacity and embedding agroecological practices that rebuild soil health and protect public well- being must become central pillars of national agricultural policy.